A healthy lifestyle wrapped in science, served with a large scoop of common sense, yields remarkable results. The accumulation of good habits over a prolonged period coupled with scientifically validated enhancements propels your best self forward. It’s like compound interest for the body. The brilliant physicist Albert Einstein said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn’t, pays it.” To achieve the highest level of wellbeing, one must wisely invest in themselves. Fortunately, for the human body, as opposed to retirement plans, it’s never too late.
Imagine a three-legged stool. It cannot stand upright with only two legs and is wobbly if the legs are uneven. Stability is created by connecting the legs into a seat, which provides a surface on which to sit. The legs of my wellness stool represent what all humans must do: Eat, Move, Sleep. Your behaviours in these three areas affect the balance. The seat represents your State of Mind. Your knowledge, experience and mindset affect the steadiness and comfort of the seat.
Why should my thoughts matter? They may not, but if you’re like me and enjoy learning about actionable concepts related to health and wellbeing, then please read on. I’m thrilled to have a forum where I can share experiential knowledge, invite discovery and empower change.
I am an American in my sixties. I’m excited about life. I have an insatiable curiosity about people, places and ideas. I want to see it, experience it, touch it, but not eat it. Six years ago, with our US careers concluded, my husband David and I ran away from home. Part of our vagabond life included 26 exciting months in Bangkok. It was a wish fulfilled to return to Thailand in January 2023, first to Bangkok, then to Phuket in September 2023. The plan is to be here for a while.
I have spent my adulthood as a wellness enthusiast. I never played sports as a child, but a yoga class in 1978, two semesters of weightlifting at university and the advent of aerobics in the ’80s – leg warmers and all ‒ introduced me to athleticism. Nutrition and other lifestyle components were natural complements. If sleep were an Olympic event, I could win medals. I am a certified Personal Trainer, RYT 200 Kripalu Yoga Instructor, ISSA Nutrition Coach and Mayo Clinic Health & Wellness Coach. My approaches have evolved with insight, evidence and age.
With an Economics undergraduate degree and an MBA, it is through an analytical lens that I interpret meaning. I wanted to save the world by espousing good nutrition, productive movement, restorative rest and emotional equanimity. Regrettably, the economic marketplace does not compensate well for such lofty aspirations; but it does for drugs! Legal ones, that is.
A career in the pharmaceutical industry taught me how to scrutinise scientific evidence. It gave me a deeper understanding of how the human body works. Regrettably, many people take better care of their cars or pets than their own bodies.
The typical healthcare paradigm does not include lifestyle modifications as a trackable protocol. Health care providers quickly offer pharmaceuticals to solve problems that a behaviour change might alleviate. To the patient, a pill may be the “easy” way. At the other end of the spectrum, some patients stubbornly refuse to accept that the addition of a rigorously tested, evidence-based medication may significantly reduce some disease state risks. Somewhere in the middle feels right.
Lifespan vs Healthspan? Lifespan is a measure of how long you live. Healthspan is a measure of how long you live in good health. My guiding vision of healthspan is being 90 years old and putting my own suitcase in the overhead compartment of a plane. That vision is packed with meaning; I am independently travelling and have the strength and mobility to heave my suitcase. That vision fuels me. What is your vision?
Wellness is a personal journey and there is no one way to approach it. It involves experimentation to determine what works for you. No one knows YOU like you do. We all possess a wise inner voice that tells us what we need to believe or do, and yet many ignore or doubt it. Honour that voice. Listen to its whispers, do not make it scream.
Libby will be sharing her insights and advice through her new column ‘Wellthwise’ here in The Phuket News. Please note that if you have a condition that requires medical treatment, consult your doctor. Contact Libby at: BeWellthwise@gmail.com